Transcript SECESSION AND THE CIVIL WAR

SECESSION
AND
THE CIVIL WAR BEGINS
Advantages…Disadvantages…
Strategies…Moliblization…
TOTAL WAR
The Storm Gathers
• Secession does not necessarily mean
war
• One last attempt to reconcile North &
South?
• Federal response to secession
debated…
The Failure of Compromise
• Crittenden Plan: extend the Missouri
Compromise line to the Pacific
• Lincoln rejects
–
–
does not think it will end secession
viewed as being in opposition to Republican
principles
• Buchanan had taken no action to stop
secession
• Some wish to “let the South depart in
peace” !
The Deep South Secedes
• December 20,1860--South Carolina secedes
• February 1861--Confederate States of America formed
–
–
–
–
–
included South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana, and Texas
Wrote a constitution (patterned on US constitution) that supported
states’ rights philosophy
Elected representatives to the Confederate government –
controlled by moderates
Aim to restore pre-Republican Party Union
Southerners hope to attract Northern states into Confederacy
• ALL THIS WAS DONE BEFORE LINCOLN TOOK THE
OATH OF OFFICE
Secession
And the War Came
• North seeks action to preserve Union
• April 13, 1861--Fort Sumter, S.C, falls
• April 15--Lincoln calls out Northern state
militias to suppress Southern insurrection
• April-May--Upper South secedes
• Border states--slave states remain in
Union
• War defined as effort to preserve Union
Total War
• North must win by destroying South’s will
to resist!
• Total War--a test of societies,
economies, political systems as well as
armies
Capital City
• North
Washington, D.C.
• South
Richmond, Va.
President
• North
Abraham Lincoln
• South
Jefferson Davis
Political Leadership: Northern
Success and Southern Failure
• Lincoln expands wartime powers
–
–
–
declares martial law
imprisons 10,000 "subversives" without
trial
briefly closed down a few newspapers
• Jefferson Davis
–
–
–
concerned mainly with military duties
neglects civilian morale, economy
lacks influence with state governments
Advantages in War
• North
– Population
– Diverse economy –
industry & agriculture
– Leadership of Lincoln
• South
–
–
–
–
–
Military leadership
High troop morale
Cause to fight for
Home turf
Sympathy from
Europeans & “Cotton
Diplomacy”
Resources of the Union and the
Confederacy, 1861
Disadvantages in War
• North
– Long supply lines
– Difficult to blockade
long coastline
– Lack military
leadership
• South
– Small population
– “King Cotton”
– Lack industries to
supply war effort
– Poor transportation
– States’ Rights
philosophy- citizens
resist a national gov’t
authority
Strategy
• North
The Anaconda Plan
- Blockade the South
- Split at the Mississippi
River
- Squeeze from all
directions to force
surrender
- Capture Richmond
• South
Defense
-Defend independence
(Even a tie is a victory)
-Capture
Washington,D.C.
Overview of Civil War Strategy
Mobilizing the Home Fronts
• 1862--North & South begin conscription
• Northern mobilization
–
–
finance war through taxes, bonds, paper
money
private industry supplies Union armies well
• Confederate mobilization
–
–
–
government arsenals supply Confederate
armies
efforts to finance lead to runaway inflation
transportation system inadequate
The Diplomatic Struggle
• England
–
belligerent rights extended to Confederacy
•
–
–
Not recognized as sovereign nation, but given rights of a sovereign
nation…access to foreign ports, etc.
conditions recognition of independence on proof
that South can win independence
Institution of slavery is obstacle to English support
• France
– Confederacy not recognized unless England does
so first
• "King Cotton" has little influence on foreign
policy decisions of other nations.
Weapons of Mass Destruction
• Most soldiers were issued smoothbore
muskets that were difficult to load and could be
fired at an accurate range of only about 100
yards, only three times in one minute. Rifled
muskets were much more accurate and deadly
with a range of up to 500 yards.
Destruction from Artillery
• In the Civil War, some Cannons were rifled for
better accuracy and more power.
• Rifled cannons could accurately lob shells for
almost 2000 yards; that is almost one mile!.
• Smoothbore cannons were not as accurate
and could be lobbed 500 yards.
Lincoln’s Goal:
to preserve the Union
At 6 feet 4 inches tall, Lincoln towered over most of his contemporaries.
Acquired this hat from J.Y. Davis, a Washington hat maker. Lincoln had the
black silk mourning band added in remembrance of his son, Willie. The last
time Lincoln war this top hat was to go to Ford’s Theatre on April 14,1865.
Actions taken by Lincoln
• Never recognized the existence of the Confederate
States – Union is one and indivisible!
• Called out state militias, increased size of navy,
ordered naval blockade of south, approved funds for
military expenses (acting as Commander in Chief”)
• Ordered arrest of Southern sympathizers in Md. &
Del. to prevent further secession
– Suspended the writ of habeas corpus (charged with a
crime)
– Declared martial law (military in charge of gov’t)
•
Important Document (Motivate the Union)
Emancipation Proclamation • The Gettysburg Address
1. September 22, 1862, issued
2. January 1,1863, take effect
3. Lincoln’s statement that if the
Southern states did not stop the
rebellion, it would become a war
to free slaves (in the rebelling
territories)
4. Authorized the use of African
American soldiers by the North
Ended any chance of European
help to the South now that this
was a war about slavery
5. South ignores him!...Doesn’t
consider him their President!!!
(Jefferson Davis is CSA president)
1. November 19,1863
2. Lincoln’s speech at the
dedication of a cemetery after
the Battle of Gettysburg
3. Motivation to keep fighting
and not negotiate a peace
treaty…Reminder that
democracy often requires
sacrifice.